State of the schoolhouse

EDUCATION LEGISLATION AT A GLANCE

All these proposed amendments to the state constitution would impact teachers, districts and schools. To read the bills in their entirety, visit www.scstatehouse.gov and type the bill number in the search box.

H. 3070

What it proposes: Allows the governor to appoint the state superintendent of education

Where it is now: It passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday 82-28, and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. To become law, the proposal would need to win first Senate approval and then voter approval in November 2012.

What it means to Beaufort: The state superintendent of education is the only statewide post to be held by a democrat in recent years, while the last democratic governor, James Hodges, served from 1999-2003. So if it passes the Senate and a public vote, it could mean fewer democratic state superintendents of education.

FYI: The state superintendent position isn’t being singled out. There is also legislation to make the secretary of state, secretary of agriculture and other constitutional officers appointees instead of elected officials.

H. 3716 (formerly H. 3002)

What it proposes: This bill would revise the 1977 Education Finance Act and would:

l require the State Department of Education to develop an incentive compensation system based on teacher performance (with reporting requirements)

l require that school districts spend at least 70 percent of their per-pupil costs on classroom instruction, instructional support and non-instructional pupil support. Districts would have to publish how much is spent in these categories.

l like the older EFA, the act would calculate the percentage of the basic cost to educate each student to be raised from local taxes. Called the Index of Taxpaying Ability, the calculation provides fewer state funds to districts with higher assessed property values.

l unlike the 1977 version, the 2011 EFA would give school districts more money per pupil for students living in poverty and for whom English is a second language.

l end the common practice of counties garnering more state dollars through EFA by accepting fee-in-lieu of taxes (from large companies, for example), keeping assessed property values low. Under this bill, those fees would have to be counted.

l change the promise to provide at least “a minimum education program” to “equal educational opportunity and equal access to the basic education program and services appropriate to (the students’) needs” regardless of geographic location.

Where is it now: In the House Ways and Means Committee. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell said Friday that the new Education Finance Act is on deck to be addressed by the full House in the coming weeks.

What it means to Beaufort: “It will probably give Beaufort County about $6-$7.5 million more in the next budget year coming up,” said Bluffton Rep. Bill Herbkersman Tuesday at a meeting of area business people from the Greater Island Council in Columbia. “It’s a drop in the bucket. But it’s a good start. That’s not a tax raise. It’s a repatriation of our own tax dollars coming back.”

H. 3014

What it proposes: To transform the number of high school credits required for graduation from 24 to 20, with 24 credits earning an advanced diploma.

Where is it now: In the House Education and Public Works Committee

What it means to Beaufort: Beaufort County School District already offers enhanced diplomas including a Distinguished Diploma and a Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) diploma. Obviously, students would need to earn four fewer credits to graduate, if the bill passed.

H. 3241

What it proposes: The bill would increase charter schools statewide without forcing school districts to cough up the money. The measure is designed to provide more money to charter schools organized under the statewide district, which get state and federal, but no local, money. The original bill required school districts to send local property taxes to charter students within their borders. But lawmakers agreed to a change that leaves the funding to the state. The bill gives more options for charters to form and allows for boys-only and girls-only schools. The House budget-writing committee approved spending up to $25 million on schools in the statewide charter in 2011-12, with schools that have buildings getting more per student than virtual schools.

Where it is now: Passed the House of Representatives on Feb. 23 85-32, in the Senate Education Committee.

What it means to Beaufort: If passed, the bill would deregulate all schools to the level of the charter schools, including allowing single-gender schools and non-certified teachers for non-core classes. “It’s geared more on the school-level and local district choices than anything we’ve passed in a long time,” said Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort.

In its original form, this bill would have hurt the school district financially.

H. 3035

What it proposes: If passed, this legislation would allow school districts flexibility to establish its calendar based on 180 days or the equivalent number of instructional hours.

Where is it now: House Committee on Education and Public Works. Superintendent Mike Zais has endorsed this bill, and has added a piece that would allow teachers to get credit for the required 10 inservice days (60 inservice hours) through college credit hours.

What it means to Beaufort County: “If a school wants to add 30 minutes to their day, they could in essence shorten the number of days,” said Rep. Shannon Erickson, one of the bill’s authors. “That translates to a very large savings in energy and buses, janitorial. It also gives you the flexibility to design a program. It maintains the instructional integrity while allowing the schools as much flexibility and autonomy as we can give them.”

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